The Flood

This story comes from Roland Dixon's 1910 collection The Chimariko Indians and Language.

Dog and Coyote were travelling eastwards. Dog said, "It is going to rain, it is going to blow. Hold tight to a live-oak tree." It blew, and Coyote was blown away. Dog stood there and called, "Come back, you shall be strong." Coyote did not wish to, for he was angry with Dog. The latter said, "Let us fight," but Coyote declined. After some discussion they agreed to travel about, and get married. A flood was coming on, in which they believed they would be drowned, so they tried to make a metal house, but it fell down. Water came, it rained and snowed, and all people were starved and lost. Frog was floating in a canoe, and Otter and Mink floated on the water. Frog found the rib of one of those who had been drowned. At sunset it became a baby, which was put in a basket. The girl baby grew up, and married Frog, and to them a child, a boy was born, and by and by there were many people. There was an abundance of food then, and people went about eating and dancing, and living as they do now.